First, to answer lady K's question, no, I didn't catch an eel. The saying 'slippery as an eel' is directly applicable. But one little girl kept catching them over and over... however, I think she was squeezing the living daylights out of them. Their poor wee eel eyes were bugging out of their slimy heads! As much as I enjoy eating them, I didn't want to hurt them. If that makes any sense.

Today is palm-tree trimming day in the downtown city parks. They've got a crane, and they don't seem to know when to stop... the first few look like very badly shaven poodles. Only about 4 fronds left sticking off the top! I suppose it's in part for safety reasons. Awa Odori will be happening in a couple of weeks, and when this city is filled with throngs of people, you don't want someone getting bonked on the head by a coconut or whacked by a mingy old palm frond.

Speaking of Awa Odori, I've had my first couple of stabs at trying Awa dancing. Rhythm never have beeing my strong point, I can safely say that I suck. However, it is enormous fun! My first try was at the gallery when I went out to Kamiita to see the art show. Tommy Yu was there with his samisen and his samisen master, and another fellow who could play the flute, and two little boys, aged four and five. Those two would take turns banging on the ding-ding-ding instrument (integral to Awa music, you see) and doing the step-step-step dance with wrists flapping madly above their heads. Some sort of television crew for the local news was there, filming both the art show and the impromptu concert. I stood back and amusedly took in this darling circus act, until Mr. Flute insisted that I try too. Insisted adamantly. So I did, and really, the four-year-old was absolutely the better dancer. After the music ended, I thanked him, calling him sensei. This pleased him so much that he and his brother showed me the frog and the large beetle that they had caught. I was, of course, honoured.
Awa dance adventure II was just two nights ago; this past weekend saw the Yoshinogawa festival set up camp for three days at the base of the bridge I cross to go to work. On Saturday night I immersed myself in the buzzing crowds with my camera and got some amazing pictures. Girls in yukata, laughing teenagers, a huge stage and free concerts. Little kids hugging blow-up toys of giant shiny beetles (beetles are a boy's best friend in Japan). Squid-on-stick, octopus balls, families and business men and giggling women surrounding the blazing grills on each table. Each grill was filled with glowing coals supplied by gorgeous sweaty young men who were fanning the fires over by the 'get-your-red-hot-grill-here' tent. Jon managed to pick me out of the crowd (the only natural blond in sight, I suppose) and introduced me to his student who was working in the beer tent, who in turn, introduced me to some free beer. Eventually Denise found us in the crowd as well, and the three of us watched the fireworks together. An interesting experience, as all the floodlights on the field were turned off so we could get the full effect of the colourful blasts, but the entire show was annoyingly commentated. Enjoy, but don't form your own opinions about what you are seeing... that was my impression, anyway. After the lights came back on, an Awa dance show started up on the stage, and Andy and Maz came filtering through the crowd to find us. I couldn't stop wiggling through the show! The drums are just so... engaging. After the last troupe danced off the stage, they spread throughout the crowd and continued to play the music... one guy ended up near me, and of course, I lept at the opportunity to try the male form of the dance (the little boys at the gallery had been doing the girl-style dancing). Lots of squatting and leaping and more wrist-twisting. Excellent fun. At any rate, I am very excited about the upcoming festival.

Regarding the beetles... I have never seen so many insects in my LIFE. Everwhere I turn I see a new kind of butterfly, blue, green, black, yellow, white, or a different beetle or a bigger spider (saw one freakishly huge one in an onsen a couple of weeks ago... damn thing had the leg span of a dinner plate). The most interesting of the insects are the cicadas... I wake of every morning to hear their incredibly loud electric song. Check this out if you want to hear them too: http://homepage2.nifty.com/saisho/cicadasong_e.html When I was arriving at the gallery last week, walking through the garden I saw this huge sparrow flying very mechanically towards me; I ducked as it passed and it tried to fly up under some stairs, presumably to get to its nest. When it couldn't get a foothold, it let out this angry prehistoric SQUAWK that made it very clear that it was not a sparrow. One more giant bug, come to dazzle me with its fearsomeness! Who knew bugs could squawk?

Namaste

Endrene